All-solid-state reflection-controllable electrochromic device and optical switchable component using it

• US 7,545,551 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2006
• Issued: 06/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (Government of Japan), Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (Government of Japan), Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Yamada, Yasusei, Ogawa, Hirosumi, Yoshimura, Kazuki, Okada, Jun, Kumazawa, Kinya, Tajima, Kazuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Ben; Loha
• Application Number:
  US11/519,016
• Publication Number:
  US 20070076288A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,001 Days
• Field of Search: 359/245, 359/265, 359/267, 359/269, 359/270, 359273-275, 359/321, 427/523, 427/524, 427/529, 428/432, 428/704, 219/203, 219/209, 219/219
• US Class Current: 359/273
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1524 Transition metal compounds
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1525 characterised by a particular ion transporting layer, e.g. electrolyte
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2001/1536 additional, e.g. protective, layer inside the cell
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2202/34 Metal hydrides materials
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2203/02 reflective

Abstract

The present invention provides an all-solid-state reflection-controllable electrochromic device and a reflection-controllable member using that device, and the present invention relates to the all-solid-state reflection-controllable electrochromic device, which is a reflection-controllable device in which a multilayer thin film is formed on a transparent base material, wherein, at least a transparent conductive film layer, an ion storage layer, a solid electrolyte layer, a catalyst layer and a reflection-controllable layer using a magnesium-nickel based alloy thin film are formed on the base material; and, a reflection-controllable member incorporating this reflection-controllable electrochromic device, and it is possible to provide a reflection-controllable electrochromic device, having a novel multilayer structure with high transmissivity when transparent and capable of switching in a short period of time over a large surface area, and a reflection-controllable member incorporating this device.

Claims

1. An all-solid-state reflection-controllable electrochromic device, comprising a reflection-controllable device having a multilayer thin film formed on a transparent base material, the multilayer thin film comprising, at least a transparent conductive film layer, an ion storage layer, a solid electrolyte layer, a catalyst layer and a reflection-controllable layer comprising a magnesium-nickel based alloy thin film formed on the base material.

2. The all-solid-state reflection-controllable electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein a reflection-controllable action is exhibited by applying a voltage and/or applying a current between the transparent conductive film layer and the reflection-controllable layer.

3. The all-solid-state reflection-controllable electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein a transition metal oxide thin film is formed as the ion storage layer on the transparent base material coated with a transparent conductive film.

4. The all-solid-stage reflection-controllable electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein a transparent oxide thin film is formed on the ion storage layer as the solid electrolyte layer.

5. The all-solid-state reflection-controllable electrochromic device according to claim 4, wherein the transparent oxide comprises tantalum oxide (Ta₂O₅).

6. The all-solid-state reflection-controllable electrochromic device according to claim 5, wherein the density of the solid electrolyte layer is 2.8 to 4.3 g/cm³.

7. The all-solid-state reflection-controllable electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein a layer comprising palladium, gold, silver or an alloy thereof is formed on the solid electrolyte layer as the catalyst layer.

8. The all-solid-state reflection-controllable electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the magnesium-nickel based alloy thin film is formed on the catalyst layer as the reflection-controllable layer.

9. The all-solid-state reflection-controllable electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the magnesium-nickel based alloy is MgNi_x (where 0.1≦

x≦

0.5).

10. The all-solid-state reflection-controllable electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the ion storage layer or the reflection-controllable layer is hydrogenated during production process thereof.

11. The all-solid-state reflection-controllable electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the device has the transparent conductive film layer between the transparent base material and the ion storage layer.

12. The all-solid-state reflection-controllable electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the device has the transparent conductive film layer to the outside of the reflection-controllable layer as an arbitrary configuration thereof.

13. The all-solid-state reflection-controllable electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the surface resistance of the transparent conductive film layer is 100Ω

/□

or less.

14. The all-solid-state reflection-controllable electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the transparent conductive film layer comprises at least one type of metal thin film, oxide or organic compound having light transmission of 70% or more.

15. A reflection-controllable member, comprising the all-solid-state reflection-controllable electrochromic device according to claim 1 incorporated therein.

16. The reflection-controllable member according to claim 15, wherein the reflection-controllable member is glass.